Scars
by AkAtSuKi-SaKuRa-ChAn
Summary: Kaidan misses Emmet's scars. something to make the plot-fluff Bunnies go away so I can sleep. Spacer!Ruthless!Paragade!Manshep. Shlenko fluffy times. was written at three am, you have been warned.


Kaidan Missed Emmets scar. The one on his face.

It had been long and tapered (starting a few inches away from the corner of his mouth, trailing puckered skin dangerously close to his eye and disappearing into his hairline over his brow) and was something only Emmet Shepard could have and still look painfully sexy doing so.

Kaidan had loved that scar.

To him it demanded his attention and was a few times caught staring at it.

On one or two such occasions, Emmet shot him a cheeky grin (_"finished admiring how ugly my face is, LT?"_) to which Kaidan would splutter and apologise with a burning neck and hot ears.

It was something that most would find hideous, but he wore it with pride, his 'battle trophies' as he used to call them. He had many, on places he'd shown Kaidan (arms, legs, the one on his hip from getting into a scuffle with a drunkard at a bar. a few with hilarious stories attached and a few with nightmares that followed with a pained, vacant look from Shepard) and more, um, _unmentionable_ places.

Kaidan had regretted never having seen them all.

When Emmet died, when Cerberus rebuilt him and Kaidan had seen him for the first time in two years, it was as if they'd cleaned him of his scars. Kaidan would secretly admit that they'd stolen a large piece of Emmet from him then.

They'd taken away his past, reminders of good times and bad. Of stories that had him in stitches (admittedly more funny armed with Emmet's whip-crack wit and dry humour) and stories that made him want to take Emmets hand and hold it in reverence.

They'd stripped him of his trophies.

They dressed quietly, the hum of sexual gratification now dissipated to a comfortable silence.

Kaidan found his eyes slyly wandering Emmet's face. Disappointment he really didn't want to feel sat in his gut.

"Finished admiring how ugly my face is, Alenko..?" Emmet teased gently, grinning at Kaidan in that heavenly way that made Kaidan sure they'd win this war.

Kaidan laughed nervously "_heh_, Sorry, Shepard, I didn't mean to stare…"

Emmet chuckled gently "the staring isn't unwelcome, _Major_," he moved in level with Kaidan "However, the troubled look on your face is, that's eatin' you?"

(_crap!_)

Taking a step back from Emmet, Kaidan scurried for something to say. "Nothing, nothing's wrong, Shepard..."

Emmets gaze hardened, he took a step forward "Don't lie, Alenko, talk to me." His demeanour changed from teasing, silver-tongued Emmet to Commanding, Dominating Shepard.

Kaidan hated how he can't do something as simple as lie to him. He hated how hard it is to look the _Commander Shepard _part of Emmet in the eye.

"It's just..." Kaidan starts raising his hand and gently brushing the skin where his scar used to inhabit.

Emmet changed almost instantaneously from Commanding Shepard back to Soft-hearted Emmet. He closes his eyes and leans into the touch.

"I just… miss it." Kaidan finished cryptically. This caused Emmet to open his eyes and raise a shrewd eyebrow

"'_It' _..?"

"Your scar, Shepard."

This caused both of Emmet's eyebrows to rise. He pulls away, looking perplexed.

"My scar..?" he parrots and a sigh escapes Kaidan.

"Yes, your scar, Shepard, this one here," He stated as he slowly tracked his thumb up the invisible path that his scar used to take. "The one you said you got on Torfan."

Emmet tensed. Torfan had always been a raw subject for him to discuss. Too many mistakes, dead men and guilty thoughts came from them. The price of getting the job done would probably tag him his entire life.

"Ah…" the air was tense now and Emmet slipped back into Shepard. He pulled away from Kaidan, turning his back on him. "That scar was not a good thing, Alenko and is certainly something that shouldn't be missed."

Kaidan scowled, he stepped in front of Emmet once more. "You were the one who said that you handled your scars with pride."

This caused Emmet to frown. He stepped into Kaidan's personal space, only a few inches taller yet towering above him.

"I have no pride for what I did on Torfan!" he uttered slowly.

Kaidan felt genuinely dumfounded. Emmet never acted this way to him. "I'm sorry, Emmet. I didn't know, you never said anything!" he brought up his hand once more.

Emmet nodded solemnly, his eyes wistful. He took Kaidan's hand, kissing the palm.

"Sorry, love…" Emmet muttered quietly.

He leaned in for a chaste kiss and rested his forehead against Kaidan's. They stood this way for some time.

"In hindsight, Shepard," Kaidan started "it was painfully dashing and dangerous and sexy on you."

Emmet snorted out a half amused laugh "I love you, y'big simple idiot." He said, eyes still closed.

"The feeling's mutual, Shepard," Kaidan teased "very Mutual"


End file.
